Fall of Brooklyn
by Percyjacksonfangirl11
Summary: As a turf war is about to reach it's peak between Queens and Brooklyn, the leader of Queens has a decision to make. Brooklyn made an alliance with Manhattan and Harlen, and was becoming to unpredictable. He decides to send his only girl newsie, 14 year old Whisk, to Manhattan to spy. What will happen while she is there? Will she remain loyal to Queens? Or will she cave in?
1. Chapter 1

**So we have a snow day tomorrow and I am really wide awake right now and in my writing mood so here this is! This is the story I have mentioned a few times in my other Newsie fanfic, I Ain't No Girly-Girl. (It is under Plays/Musicals." Now, this is under Movies but it may also mention the Broadway k'may? Great! **

**Warning: contains profanity, but nothing bad or major. **

**Thanks! Review and Read On!**

**- Emily**

* * *

All was quiet at the Queens Newsie Lodging House. A light drizzle came down outside, and the Newsies were happy to finally be out of it. It hadn't stopped all day, and selling newspapers in the rain is pretty hard to do. If you were smart, you were inside. So, the boys sat around in groups, huddled together in groups talking. A few of the boys had set up a small poker game in the back corner. Their leader, High-Brow, was sitting behind his desk with dozens of spread out papers around him.

High-Brow was tall. At 17 years old he stood a good 6'0 feet. His hair was sandy brown and lengthy. It covered his eyebrows and brushed the back of his neck. His neck was long, he had freckled that dotted his nose. On top of all that, he had very dark brown eyes. He wasn't that bad looking. Despite his appearance, his personality was where he got his name. You see, High-Brow is a synonym for genius, which was what he was known to be. He was always coming up with plans and strategies on how to sell more papes. Amazingly, things seem to fly right over his head. The one thing he seemed to lack was common sense.

High-Brow was writing frantically on a map of New York, Arrows and circles covered the page, with little notes on the sides. It was a wonder you could see the original map at all. In mid-sentence his lead snapped.

"DAMN IT!" He yelled, slamming his fist on the desk.

One hit.

Two hits.

Three hits.

Each time his fist made contact with the wood he repeated the phrase, and each time louder and harsher. He didn't even notice when the door squeaked open and his second-in-command, Scrunch, came in. Smirking, he walked over to High-Brow and flicked a paper ball at his head.

"Calm down, would ya? Your scaring the younger boys." He said. High-Brow took a deep breath, sitting down and putting his head in his hands.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"So, how is the planning going?" Scrunch asked.

Scrunch was way shorter than High-Brow, standing only 5'6 at age 16. He had sea green eyes and jet black hair. His face was clear of freckles, but his ears stuck out a bit farther than normal. He was more care free than High-Brow. He was always looking for some fun, but he knew how to control himself and when to be serious. That didn't mean he didn't provoke High-Brow. He got his nickname because of how his eye brows scrunch together when he smiles.

"Not good, Scrunch. Brooklyn has attacked us three times this past week, and we are loosing more newsies to them everyday."

"It probably doesn't help that they have Harlem and Manhattan helping them does it?" Scrunch asked, a devious smile on his face.

"No, it definitely does not. Thank you for pointing that out, Scrunch."

"Anytime, buddy."

Queens and Brooklyn had been in a turf war for awhile now. No one really knew who started it, it just happened. It seemed to be at it's peak, though. So far, Brooklyn had always had the upper hand. They were the toughest borough in New York, and having backup only made them stronger. Queens was small in numbers, considering when they attacked they would soak you until you gave in and transferred boroughs. High-Brow had lost so many newsies...

"They are becoming to unpredictable. I need to know what they are planning-"

"Should we strip you of your name?" Scrunch teased.

"Shut up and think." The boys thought for a moment. Finally, Scrunch spoke up.

"Why don't we just send over a spy?"

"Because Brooklyn knows what we all look like and they have some of our old Newsies." High-Brow said.

"Yeah, but what if we put the spy in Manhattan?" High-Brow looked up.

"Manhattan? Scrunch, that's genius! Brooklyn is close ti Manhattan, anything Spot does he won't do without asking Jack about it first!"

"That's it, hand over the name." Scrunch said, a serious look on his face.

"Let's see, I'm not sending our youngsters over. It's to dangerous. They need to be tough, but have a good ear. They need to be loyal to us to death, that was they won't grow attached to the Manhattan boys and decide to join them. They can't know much about our plans, so that was they have no chance of ratting us out..."

"Whisk!" Scrunch shouted.

"What? Whisk?"

"Yes! She is quiet, and you know how she can hear a conversation across the hall when it's whispered! Her hearing is like a dog, that's the saying right? Oh well, she is tough when she needs to be. When I found her she was holding off to bulls and got away! She even left one bull with a nasty black eye. She is level headed, so she won't have any trouble getting in trouble with Jack. Plus, I know she will be loyal. She may not talk to you, but the girl will chat my ear off, If there is one person she would never betray it's me." High-Brow considered what Scrunch had just said,

"I don't know. She is our girl-"

"Your right! She is a girl, so the boys will be soft on her! Who knows, one of them might fall for her and she may be able to hear more plans about Brooklyn!" Scrunch said, excitedly.

"Fine. Bring her up." High-BRow said. He hoped he wouldn't regret this. Scrunch practically bounced out of the room and was back in an instant with Whisk.

Whisk was at medium height, standing 5'7 at 14 years old. She had brown hair with blonde highlights that reached just past her shoulder. It was always worn in a single braid over her shoulder. Her eyes were a pretty shade of crystal blue. She had gotten her name because of how quiet she could be. Sometimes the boys compared her to a ghost. She could walk right behind someone and they wouldn't even notice until she finally said something. She calls it, 'saving her two cents.'

"Here she is!" Said Scrunch, who was still smiling. He plopped down in a chair and Whisk stood behind him.

"Um, hey, Whisk," High-Brow said, never really feeling it completely natural to talk to her. "You know about our little war with Brooklyn, yes?"

Whisk nodded her head.

"Okay, well, any idiot could see we are loosing. We need a person on the inside to get us information that could be crucial. You know like when they will attack, if any other boroughs are helping them, things like that. We were hoping you would go over to Manhattan to spy for us." He said. Whisk bit her bottom lip.

"Um,"

"It will be super easy. You would live with them until we either decide we have enough information to possibly pull ahead and win, or until they beat us, which hopefully will not happen. You would still sell papes. At night you would have to sneak out and meet us here. It's a long walk, but it is less risky then us walking near the other boroughs. Please?" Scrunch said. Whisk thought for a moment,

"Okay. I'll do it. But Scrunch, you owe me." Scrunch laughed and stood up to hug her.

"We should leave now. Whisk, you shouldn't take anything. I'll explain the plan along the way."

**Thanks for reading! I am getting ready to write the next chapter so it will be up very soon! Please review and tell me what you thing!**

**Also, Whisk's age. In most stories I read the protagonist is usually 15-18 years old, so I thought I would make her younger to get a new view. Plus, I am 14 so I feel I can write this story better if I tell it like how I would react at that age. So yeah, she is 14:)**

**Thanks! **

**- Emily**


	2. The Plan is Set

**Long time no see, eh? No, I posted the last chapter less then 10 minutes ago. I guess by the time you read this it could be a few hours...Emily stop rambling and get on with it.**

**Ha, sorry about that. Now, don't expect this quick of an update all the time;) I want to get this story started off and I already knew where this chapter was going to go. I kid, I kid,**

**Dang it I'm out of tea. **

**Review and Read On!**

**- Emily**

* * *

Whisk walked downstairs followed by High-Brow and Scrunch.

"Hey, where are you guys going?" asked Fly, a newsie Whisk's age. Like Scrunch, Fly was another one of the boys who Whisk would talk to.

"I'm going to be in Manhattan with Kelly's boys for awhile. I get to play spy." Whisk explained, forcing a small laugh. She was trying to hide her nervousness, but was failing at doing so. She felt as if the butterflies in her stomach were going to eat her insides up.

Fly's eye's got wide.

"What! High-Brow! You can't do that! You can;t send Whisk over to Jack! You give her to Jack you give her to Spot! I don't trust the guy..." Fly said. Whisk was shocked. Every newsie knew to not talk down to your leader. High-Brow didn't seem to care, though. He slung his arm around Whisk's shoulder.

"I promise I won't let anything happen to her, She is our best bet, though, You know it yourself, the girl is like a ghost!" He said. Whisk smiled. She liked that reputation.

"I won't let her get hurt, okay? If I hear about one move I'm pulling her right back to Queens, even if it might cost us our land. YOu trust me, right Fly?" He asked. Fly smirked.

"Your my leader, High-Brow. If I didn't trust you I would have tried to overthrow you a long time ago." High-Brow laughed and clapped him on the back. Fly stepped forward and pulled Whisk into a hug, her head only reaching his shoulder.

"You be careful, okay?"

"I know." She whispered. Fly was like a big brother to her. She clutched the back of his shirt for a tighter hug then pulled back.

"See you soon." She said. Fly nodded at them as the made their way to the door and stepped out into the light rain that was still falling.

"Well, nothing like a walk in the rain to raise our spirits!" Scrunch said, earning him a slap on the back of the head from High-Brow.

"Shut up. Now, here is what we will do. Whisk, your back story is that your an orphan, your family burned in a fire when you were five. You lived on the streets until you were seven, then just as you were about to be caught by the bulls we brought you into Queens. You lived with us until now but but smart with me and we threw you out."

"Um, shouldn't I not say anything about Queens?" Whisk asked, shivering from the rain that had turned cold. Scrunch wrapped an arm around her.

"No, I want them to think we are the bad guys. They will think you want revenge. You may be able to get more information out of them this way. Also, you can go ahead and use your real name. They will probably give you a new nick name, Remember who you are thought don't forget." High-Brow explained. Whisk nodded. They stepped onto the Brooklyn Bridge and started to walk across. Whisk grew more and more nervous, her heart now racing and her breathing becoming more rapidly. Scrunch stopped her.

"High-Brow, go on ahead. I want to talk to her real quick."

"Okay, but hurry up. The newsies need to be out selling still in order for this to work." He glanced at the sky, which was getting darker. Scrunch waited until High-Brow was out of earshot before he began.

"Whisk, are you sure your okay with this?" He asked, looking her in the eye. She nodded.

"I'm nervous, that's it." She said. He nodded, understanding.

"Look, I'm always at the lodging house if you need to talk. You know where my selling spots are. You come find me if you have any trouble." She nodded.

"Thanks, Scrunch. Come on, let's get this over with." They started walking.

In about five minutes, they were at the end of the bridge. A Manhattan newsie was at the corner, close enough to see their figure but not able to see their faces.

"Okay, Scrunch pull your cap down lower just to make sure no one recognizes us." Scrunch lowers his cap close to his eyes.

"Whisk, I'm sorry about this. Remember who the real enemy is, not us. This has to be done for the plan to work." High-Brow began to explain. " Whisk gave a puzzled look.

"Play along, please, We love you, Whisk." Scrunch said.

"What are you-" she started, but was interrupted by a fist to her cheek. She let out a small yelp and instinctively kicked High-Brow in the shin. He grunted and scowled at her.

"Sorry!" She whispered. Scrunch shoved her to the ground and she screamed. High-Brow kicked her side.

"Please! Stop! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" She sobbed, real tears spewing from her eyes for effect. They didn't really hurt her, but from the newsies point of view it looked like they were.

"Hey! Stop it!" He yelled,throwing the rest of his papers on the ground.

"You rotten little rat! It's no wonder no one likes you! I bet your parents are glad to be dead!" High-Brow barked at her, stomping on her stomach. It made contact, but didn't hurt her. For effect, she rolled over and coughed, gasping for air.

"N-no! Please, stop!" Her voice became a whisper. Scrunch pulled her up my her hair and pulled her close to his face, looking mean.

"I'm sorry about this. We aren't going to far, are we?" He whispered so no one else could hear. His face remained rock hard.

"No." She whispered. Then, hearing the Newsie get closer, she yelled,

"Please! I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Please!" Scrunch laughed and dropped her. High-Brow tapped his arm and the pair took off running back down the bridge, leaving Whisk crumpled on the ground. The heard the newsie kneel down beside her and she started to tremble. She wasn't acting, she was truly afraid now. This was happening, she wasn't in Queens anymore.

"Hey, are you okay?" The boy asked. She didn't respond.

"Here," the boy grabbed her arm and helped her up. He was taller than she was, and Italian.

"My name is Racetrack. Race for short. Are you okay? Who were those guys? Why are you dressed as a newsie?" He asked. The sky durned dark.

_Does this kid every shut up? _Whisk thought. She felt her knees shake and let them give out. He caught her and lead her over to a fountain. They sat down on the edge.

"Your okay. You can trust me. I am a Manhattan newsie. You know, Jack Kelly's territory? So, what happened, sweetheart?" Race asked, his voice soft to comfort her.

_Remember who you are. _High-Brow's words hung in her head. She made up mind. She wasn't going by Whisk. She was on a mission for Queens, it was time to start acting the part.

"M-my name is Emma. My parents d-died in a fire accident when I was 5. I had no where to go, so I lived on the streets until I was 7. I hadn't eaten in a week, I was starving. The baker was throwing out old bread so I took it. The bulls saw me, but I was saved just before I could get caught. Queens took me in. I sold papes with them-"

"You are from Queens!' Race exploded, shooting up. She made tears fill her eyes and she looked down and her lap. Race got the feeling she wasn't done and sat back down.

"Sorry, go ahead." He said. Emma nodded. **(I will be calling her Emma for the rest of the chapter.)**

"I sold papes in Queens for seven years. I'm 14, by the way. This morning...I don't know what happened. One minute I was selling, then High-Brow comes running up to me. He started talking about something, I can't remember what. It set me off, though. I exploded, started talking back to him. Every newsie knows not to talk back to your leader. So he and his second-in-command dragged here and I'm spilling my guts out to you." She said, twirling her fingers.

"Wow...I'm sorry. Queens has been a little rowdy lately. Of course, I'm sure you know about the turf war. They will be gone in less then a month, with Spot and Jack planning... sorry I said too much. Come on. You can come back to our lodging house with me." He stood up, dusted off his hands, and stuck it out to help her up. She accepted, and the pair walked away to the lodging house.

"You know what, Jack is gonna flip when he realizes I was out past curfew." He laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

**Chapter 2! Ugh, I am in such a writing mood tonight. The next chapter should be very soon!**

**Thanks for reading! Review and let me know what you think! **

**- Emily**


	3. Selling

**Dang this keyboard is loud. WHY YOU NOT QUIET! Sorry...I am a strange childXD **

**So, anyway, thanks for sticking with this story!It will get better! Trust me, this is just the beginning. Also, should I do a pairing with Whisk/Emma? I'm not sure, since she is 14 and most of the newsies are 16 or up. You guys chose! Leave a review and let me know! Also! I will be calling her Emma at the beginning then once she gets her new newsie name I'll call her by that. Sorry if that's confusing!**

**Thanks! Review and Read On!**

**- Emily**

* * *

They arrived at the lodging house in no time. Emma put her hand tenderly to her throbbing and stinging cheek.

"Does that hurt?" Race asked. She nodded. Race turned her head so that he could study it. He moved her hand and sighed.

"Ow, we'll put some ice on that. It's gonna leave a nasty bruise." She sighed.

"Come on, the boys will all be in here by now." Race said. He opened the door and grabbed her hand, pulling her in.

"Hey, Kloppman! I found a new newsie on the street! Can we keep her?" He asked. The older man at the desk chuckled.

"Goodness, Racetrack! She is a girl, not a dog! And of course, you just have to sign in here." She nodded, signing _Emma_ on the line. Kloppman smiled at her and Race dragged her away.

"That's Kloppman. He owns the joint. Here, the boys should be in here. This is the bunk room." Race flung the door open.

"Hiya, boys!" He called cheerfully.

"Race! Where were you! You know you have to be- Race who is this?" Jack said. Race smiled a big, goofy grin.

"This is Emma. I found her being soaked by the Queens leaders. Used to sell with them, but talked back to High-Brow and they kicked her out of soaked her over here." Race explained. Jack smiled,

"So, you stood up against those guys, huh? Good, it's about time someone did. Oh, looks like they did a number on your cheek. we'll fix that up. Now, let's get you settled in Miss...sorry, what's your name?" Jack asked. Emma bit her bottom lip and looked at Race.

"Emma. Her name is Emma." Race said. Jack nodded and went to get her a cold wash cloth. A boy was a crutch walked up to her.

"Hello, Miss. Emma! My name is Crutchie, and I bet you know why!" He said smiling.

_Well, he is optimistic. _Emma thought. She gave a shy smile, turning back into her Whisk self.

"Quiet one, is she?" Said another boy. He has glasses.

"They call me Specs. Nice to meet you." He said. She smiled and nodded to him. Just then, Jack returned with the wash cloth.

"Here, just keep this pressed to that cheek." He said. She took it and did what he said to.

"So, she need's a nickname." Crutchy said. The boys all thought.

"How about Braid?" Said one of the younger boys. Everyone looked at him.

"You know, because of the braid she has in her hair!" The room smiled.

"Braid it is," Jack said. "Here, you can have this bed. Mine is right over top of it if you need anything. Now, get to bed you guys! We have to sell in the morning!" Jack ordered. Race gave her a pat on the shoulder and walked of to his bed. Braid crawled into hers and pulled the covers up.** (I will now call her Braid.)**

"G'night, Braid!" Crutchy said, who was in the bed next to her.

"Night." She said softly. By the small chuckle he let out, she knew he heard her. Within a few minutes, the bunk room was asleep.

* * *

"Get up! Carry the Banner! Time to get up!" Braid woke with a start. Kloppman was shaking the boys out of bed. When he got to her he smiled.

"Good, I don't have to coax you! I knew I liked you." He said, winking. She smiled. The rest of the boys got up and started to get ready.

"Here, Braid. You can borrow a pair of clothes from me." Specs said.

"Thanks." She said. She spotted a closet and went inside of it to change. Specs clothes seemed to fit perfectly. She stepped out and thanked him again, then pulled her hair into the regular braid and let it hang over her shoulder. She set her cap of her head and followed Race out the door.

"Jack, who is she selling with today?" Race asked.

"I'll take her today, you take her tomorrow?" Jack answered.

"Sounds good. Good luck, sweetheart." Race said, walking up to stand in line.

"Now, I know you already know how to sell, but I'll show you the best spots around here. Come on, your with the leader so we are at the front of the line." Jack said, motioning her to follow. She knew that the leader always got to cut in front. High-Brow did it all the time. She didn't know how it was fair, but hey everyone else seemed perfectly fine with it.

Jack got 50 papers. Braid dig around in her pocket and pulled out enough money to buy 20.

"Now, I usually sell near the boxing ring. Another good place is the harbor or by Brooklyn Bridge. Come on, we'll go to the harbor first." Jack said. Braid nodded. They walked down the street to the harbor. Jack started calling out crazy, made up headlines. She decided to stick to what High-Brow told her to do while selling in Queens. She spotted a fine dressed lady standing next to a dock and she quietly walked over. Tapping on the lady's shoulder, she stepped back a step. The lady turned around.

"Yes, little Miss? How can I help you?" said the lady. Braid bit her bottom lip and pulled out a paper.

"Please, miss? I gotta sell enough papers or the orphanage will kick me out." She cast her eyes down to the paper and rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet.

"The orphanage?" The lady asked. Braid nodded,

"Yes, ma'am. You see, the orphanage is getting mighty tight this time of year. I gotta work to help buy food for the younger ones." Right on cue, her stomach growled.

"Oh my! What about you? Don't you eat?" The lady asked. Braid sighed.

"I gotta look after the small kids, ma'am. I will be old enough to leave soon, but they have to get adopted soon. I won't let what happen to me happen to them. You see, not getting adopted is no fun, so I might as well make sure they are healthy and picture perfect for parents, right?" The lady gave me a pitiful look and handed me a nickel.

"Good heavens! Here, I'll take a paper. You keep the change. Take care of yourself, you hear?" Braid nodded.

"Thank you, ma'am." Braid said. The lady turned and walked away and Braid walked back to Jack, who was nearly dying of laughter.

"You Fake!" He teased. She smiled a little.

"High-Brow always gave us little acts to keep up when we were selling." She said quietly. Her heart dropped in her chest a little.

"Wow, but doesn't that take a long time to sell?" Jack asked. Braid held up the nickel.

"Point taken. Go on, keep selling." He laughed. Braid turned and scanned the crowd.

**There is chapter 3! How is this story going so far? **

**Please leave a review telling me what you think:) The next chapter will be up sooner, but possibly sooner if I know someone is actually reading this. You know, just to give me more motivation to write. Thanks!**

**Thanks(again, haha)! Review, please!**


	4. Information

**Hey! Thank you all SO much for the reviews and favorites/followers! I appreciate it so much and you guys rock!**

**Also! A VERY big shout out and thank you to lastphonecall95. First of all, the pointed out I had some grammar/spelling mistakes so I will be watching out for that more often. Second, they gave me a lot of motivation to start writing this chapter. This is the first time I've been able to sit down in three days, due to school and sports. Plus, I joined my schools Destination Imagination team so that will take up time. **

**Oh, um, I seemed to have made a mistake. My friend pointed out to me the Harlem is IN Manhattan...yeah I feel dumb. Sorry!**

**Thanks guys! Review and Read On!**

**- Emily**

* * *

Jack sold all of his papers in only a few hours. It wasn't surprising to Braid, it was known across the boroughs that Jack was the best newsie in New York...aside from Spot maybe. Braid wasn't even close to being finished. Jack walked over to her and grabbed her arm.

"Come on. Let's go the Brooklyn Bridge. You'll sell more there." Braid nodded and they started walked.

"So, tell me about yourself?" Jack said.

"Me?" Braid asked.

"Your the only one I'm talking to right now, so yes. You." He said.

"Well, what do you want to know?" She asked, twirling the end of her braid with her fingers. She did this a lot when she was nervous. Jack thought for a minute.

"What's your favorite color?" Jack asked. Braid gave him a puzzled look.

"My favorite color?"

"Yeah! Mine is red. So?" Jack smirked.

"Um...purple."

"Purple? Huh, that's different." Jack said. Braid nodded. She kept her eyes on the road ahead of her most of the walk, not even looking at Jack. Walking beside him, he-who was supposed to be her enemy, felt different. It felt weird. Jack didn't have the laid back feeling Scrunch had, or the sweetness Fly had. There was an obvious tension between them.

"So, Braid. Why are you so quiet all the time? The boys don't know what to think of you." Jack said. Braid shrugged and focused more in her shoes. She counted the number of steps she took.

_One, two, three... _

"I-I don't know. Conversations only lead to trouble...better to avoid them." She said quietly. A puzzled look crossed Jack's face, but he shrugged it off, returning to his usual bouncy stride.

The pair reached the bridge and Braid's face fell a little.

_I wonder what Scrunch and Fly are doing right now? _She thought.

Luckily, Jack noticed and took it as she was nervous. He placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her around. He knelt so that they were the same height.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to let Queens hurt you again. Your safe here, and Brooklyn will help protect you. Besides, to get to here they have to go through Brooklyn anyway. Or I guess they could go around through the Bronx, but that doesn't matter. The Bronx is on our side anyway. So relax, okay? Your safe with us." Braids heart leaped at the news of Bronx joining Brooklyn's side, but she kept on her poker face and nodded. Jack gave her a small hug, which she forced herself to awkwardly return.

"Now, go sell your papes." He said, standing up. She nodded and walked off toward the bridge to a younger couple. She decided to go with a newer skit High-Brow had taught her. The orphanage story was getting boring. She stepped behind the man.

"Sir?" She said in barely a whisper. He heard her and turned around. His wife did as well.

"Yes?" Said the lady. Braid opened her mouth to speak, but doubled over in a coughing fit. The couple jumped to her side and placed a hand on her back.

"Are you okay?" The man asked.

"I...I;m sorry. Would you like a paper?" She asked, her voice still a whisper.

"What is wrong with your voice?" The lady asked.

"I was working in a factory when I got sick. My boss fired me, and my voice is awfully messed up." She said. The man frowned.

"What is wrong with society! Here, we will take two." He said, handing her the money.

"T-thank you, sir. Ma'am." She said, nodding to them. She ran back to Jack.

"Another skit?" He asked, chuckling. She nodded and smiled, running off again.

Within the next hour she had sold all of her papers. Jack came up behind her and smiled.

"Not bad, Braid. Mayne High-Brow knows what he's doing with those newsies over there." He said, looking over across the bridge. Braid's hoped went up. Maybe they would back off?

Jack sighed.

"But, we can't have them trying to take over anyone. I'm just glad this will all be over soon." Jack said, turning around and walking back toward the lodging house.

"Um, what exactly started the war between the boroughs?" Braid asked. Jack looked at her, shocked.

"You really don't know? Well, it started awhile ago. Basically, High-Brow said something to Spot about watching his land, and Spot attacked Queens before they could do anything. The leaders started fighting, things got violent, and that's when the other boroughs joined in." Jack said.

"But why is no one helping Queens?" Braid asked, the quickly regretted it. Jack stopped and looked at her.

"Braid, when it comes down to it, who will win? Brooklyn is stronger, and no one wants to choose a losing side. Plus, High-Brow shouldn't have threatened Spot. He started it, now he will pay for it. Your loyal to us, aren't you?" Jack asked, his face becoming serious.

"Of course." She said. She felt like throwing us as she said those words. Jack smiled and they continued walking.

The sun had set over the lodging house when they walked through the doors. All of the newsies were gathered around the front room.

"There they are! We had thought you had died or something!" Race laughed walking up to them. He draped his arm over Braid's shoulder.

"So, how did she do?" He asked. Jack laughed.

"Well, we have a little actor on our hands, that's for sure." He said, sitting down by Crutchie. He began telling all the newsies about the little skits she had played that day, and Braid's face blushed a little. Her fingers twiddle around each other. That was another habit she had. By the end of the story the newsies were all smiling and laughing.

"Okay! Get to bed, boys. You got to sell in the morning! Braid, come with me. I found a separate room you can have so that you won't have to wake up to these boys morning hair." Kloppman said. Braid smiled. The boys bid them goodnight and she followed Kloppman down the hall. They turned to the right and Kloppman opened the door, The room was small, and it contained a bed and a brown dresser.

"Here you go. Goodnight, Braid." Kloppman said.

"Goodnight." She said. The door closed behind her, and but she could still hear the newsies yelling down the hall.

"Go to bed!" Jack yelled. The noise died down and Braid shook her head.

_They never shut up, do they? _She thought.

Braid tip-toes over to the window by the bed and cracked it open. After waiting a few seconds to make sure the coast was clear, she opened it the rest of the way. She stepped out onto the small ladder on the wall and climbed down. Once she hit the bottom, she took of into a sprint to Queens.

**That's it! Okay, so the next chapter should have some more information about Braid's information/history, so some of you should like tha. I'm getting ready to write it, but it should be up in the next few days. I'm giving you guys some time to get this chapter read:)**

**Thanks! Review please! Tell me what you think so far, and again if Braid should be with anyone:)**

**-Emily**


	5. Spot

Braid dashed down the Brooklyn Bridge as fast as she could. Her sides hurt from running, but she made herself go further. She had to be quick.

She made it off the bridge and traveled close to the alley ways through Brooklyn until she got to the border line that divided Queens and Brooklyn. She stepped over and sighed. She felt safe. Knowing she was almost there, she took off running again.

Thankfully, the distance to the lodging house wasn't far. In no time she was standing outside the door and knocking on the wood. Fly opened up the door and smiled, pulling her in by her arm.

"Whisk!" He exclaimed. **(Okay, in dialogue they call her Whisk. I still call her Braid.) **

"Hey, Fly." She said, hugging him around the waist. He hugged her back and pulled her close.

"Where are Scrunch and High-Brow? I have some information for them." She said into his shirt. He stepped back.

"They are in High-Brow's office. Come on, I'll take you to them." Fly said. Braid nodded and the two ran up the steps, but quietly enough not to wake the boys who were sleeping. Braid walked up to the door and knocked.

"Come in," High-Brow said. By his voice he sounded exhausted. Braid cracked the door open and slipped in, Fly right behind her. He shut the door. Scrunch turned around and jumped out of his seat to hug her.

"Hey, Whisk! We were worried about you! Oh, um, sorry about yesterday...again." She laughed.

"It's fine. You didn't hurt me...except for my cheek. That hurt." Scrucnch smiled and punched her playfully on the shoulder before sitting back down.

"So, Whisk, what have you got for us? Did you find anything out?" High-Brow asked. She nodded.

"Um, yeah. Th-the Bronx has sided with Brooklyn." She said. High-Brow groaned.

"Oh, come on!" He muttered leaning back in his chair and rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. Braid bit her bottom lip.

"Is that all?" High-Brow asked, his hands still over his eyes. Braid nodded.

"Okay, then. Hey, I've been dying to know this. What did they name you?" Scunch asked. Braid rolled her eyes. Only Scrunch would think about that in a turf war.

"Braid." She said. The boys instantly started laughed.

"Braid? Wow, real creative." Scrunch said, still laughing. Braid smiled.

"I know! The names are so generic! No effort at all." She said. Even High-Brow ended up laughed.

"Well, that's all for tonight. Meet us back here if you get any news on anything, okay?" High-Brow said. Braid nodded.

"Okay." She turned to leave and Fly followed her out. He walked her to the door, but stopped her before she could open it.

"Whisk, they are treating you okay, then?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said.

"Your sure?"

"Would I lie to you?" Braid responded. Fly cracked a smile.

"Good. I don't like you being over there, you know." He sighed.

"I know. It's weird over there. It's so different then being here, but I can't put my finger on why."

"Why did you agree to go?" Fly asked.

"I don't know. You know how Scrunch was the one to bring me here, right?" She started. Fly nodded.

"Well, he saved me. I was being chased by the bulls, and he helped me get away. He brought me here, where I have a job, money, a place to stay. I owe this to him." She said.

"Whisk, I'm sure he wouldn't be holding that against you. That was seven years ago, after all." Fly pointed out.

"I know, but if Scrunch needs me to help him out I'll do it in a heart beat. He helped me, now I'll help him. Plus, he's my friend." She said. Fly nodded.

"Okay, just be careful?"

"Oh come on! You know me." She said, smiling. He smiled back. Braid opened the door and slipped into the night.

* * *

She slipped into the room and shut the door. Everything was quiet, so she figured no one had slept through her sneaking out. Sighing in relief she climbed into bed. Almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell into a light sleep.

**Dream:**

_Braid was only six years old. As all six-year-old little girls do, she skipped down the street humming a playful tune. She was always a happy child, and was always very talkative and bold for her age. Looking around, she spotted her friend, Karen, and a boy she didn't recognize but looked to be her age._

_The boy was taller than the girls, and had dark black hair and dark brown eyes. He was obviously on the richer side of society, because his clothes were nicer than the other children._

_"Hi, Karen!" She said cheerfully, walking up beside her friend. Karen turned to look at her, and Braid realized her had tears in her eyes._

_"Karen? What's wrong?" She asked._

_"Haha! Your not getting your stupid doll back!" The boys jeered, throwing the torn doll made of rags on the ground and kicking it down the street. Karen took off after it as the boy laughed._

_"That wasn't very nice!" Braid said, putting her tiny hands on her little hips. The boy laughed even harder._

_"What are you going to do about it, huh?" He asked._

_"I'm going to be mature and let you live, stupid head!" She said, voice rising slightly. The boy stopped laughed._

_"Dummy!" He said._

_"Meanie!" The boy's face turned read._

_"You'll regret that!" He yelled, running down the road._

_"What are you going to do about it?" She mimicked. _

_The scene changed to later that night. Braid was in her tiny bed when she heard her father scream. _

_"Out! Fire! Get out!" She jumped up and froze, panicked, Then, she saw the flames flickering in the hallway. Tears filled her eyes and they got closer to her room. It was like her limbs were lead. She tried to move but couldn't. She didn't know what to do. The flames flickered closer, and closer. Realization seemed to catch up with the little six-year-old and she ran to the window. A tear streamed down her face as she jumped. Luckily, she wasn't far from the ground and only landed with a small thud. The flames engulfed her house and the last thing she saw was a small black haired boy her age disappear around the corner._

"No!" Braid gasped, shooting up out of her bed. Sweat dripped down her face and she took deep breaths.

_It was just a dream. It was just a dream. _She told herself. She hated dreaming about that night, the night her family died. Her older brother, her baby sister, and even her parents parished in the fire. Who didn't she blame? No, not the boy. She blamed herself. If only she had kept her mouth shut...

"Braid? Up and at them!" Kloppman said.

"O-Okay!" She said. She quickly got dressed and stepped into the hallway. She started walking toward the door when Jack stepped in front of her.

"Hey, Braid. I need you to stay here at the Lodging House with me today. Spot is coming over and he heard we had a Queens over here." She bit her bottom lip.

"Um, okay." She said quietly. Jack smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on. We can wait in the bunk room." He said, walking up the steps. He walked up the stairs ans Braid followed behind.

It didn't take long for Spot to arrive. The two had been sitting in awkward silence, Jack in deep thought sitting on his bunk and Braid sitting on the window ledge not wanting to meet Spot. When he came in, she didn't even move.

Jack stood up and smiled.

"Hey, Spot." He said, spitting in his hand and holding it out.

"Jack." He spit in his and they shook hands. Spot looked over at Braid and walked over.

"So, this is your Queens girl, huh?" He asked.

"Yup. Her real name is Emma, but one of our younger boys named her Braid." Jack said. Spot nodded and stood in front of her.

"How old are you?" He asked, a tone of leadership in his voice. She looked up at him.

"Four-teen." She said in her normal, small voice. Spot's face was unreadable.

"You are from Queens?" He asked.

Braid nodded.

"Why did you leave?" Spot asked, however it sounded more like a demand then a question. Braid bit her lip again.

"I talked back to High-Brow and him and Scrunch threw me out." She said, looking down at her hands.

"Race found High-Brow and Scunch soaking her by the bridge." Jack put in. Spot nodded, his face still plain. His eyes never left her.

"So, Braid. Were you ever close to the leaders?" Spot asked. Braid froze for a minute, then nodded her head.

"Okay. I need to know if I can trust you. The last thing I need is a spy on my hands-" Braid's heart sped up a little bit. "-so, tell me what you know." Spot said, crossing his arms.

"I...I don't know anything." Braid said, staring out of the window. Spot walked over and sat beside her.

"So, you were close to High-Brow and Scrunch, but you don't know anything about what they are planning?" Braid shook her head.

"They don't want me getting involved. They didn't tell me anything." She said. Spot grabbed her chin and made her look into his eyes.

"You swear?" He asked.

"I swear." She said, locking eyes with him and ignoring the burning in her stomach. Spot nodded and let go of her chin. He stood up and walked over to Jack.

"Keep her around. She could be useful to us." Spot whispered. Braid could still hear him.

"Will do, Spot. Keep me updated on what's going on." Spot nodded, then left. Jack walked over and sat by Braid.

"So, how about I take you to meet a friend of mine?"

**There it is! Please review and tell me what you thought! **

**Thanks!**

**- Emily**


	6. Medda

**Hey guys! I am typing this on my sisters computer, uh...don't tell her that, and I AM IN LOVE WITH IT! It is so light and the keyboard is quiet and so easy to type on...uh, sorry. I'm obsessed with this computer.**

**So anyway, thank you all so much for the response this story has been getting! It makes my day to see someone review/read this!**

**Thanks guys! Review and Read On!**

**- Emily**

* * *

The pair left the lodging house in silence. Jack tried to crack a few jokes, but Braid only smiled. Okay, to be honest they weren't really that funny, but that's not the point. She couldn't shake the King of Brooklyn out of her head. He just seemed so demanding! She wasn't sure what to expect from him.

"Braid? Look, don't mind Spot. He actually is a really nice guy, but being the leader of Brooklyn he has to carry that 'tough guy' personality, you know?" Jack said. Braid shrugged her shoulders.

"High-Brow can be like that. He always has his braniac personality." Braid sighed.

"You know, you talk about Queens a lot. Are you sure your loyal to us?" Jack asked, glancing over at her. The question caught Braid of guard.

"What? Yeah, of course. It's just hard for me, okay? I grew up in Queens. I was never a fan of this turf war anyway." She said. It wasn't a total lie. She never did favor turf wars. Jack nodded and they continued walking. They passed a few newsies, who would stop to talk for a few minutes, but for the most part they continued walking in what seemed like a never ending straight line.

"Mush!" Jack called out, startling Braid. Mush jogged over.

"Yeah, Jack?"

"Can you come with us to Medda's? I need someone to stay with Braid while I talk to some of the leaders about Queens." Mush looked confused.

"But...won't she be with Medda? Why do you need me to watch her?"

"Medda will be performing, idiot." Mush nodded, understanding.

"Fine, but I'm not an idiot. That is Blink's label." Mush sold his last paper and the trio walked up to a decent looking building. Outside was a sign that read:

**Medda Larkin**

**Swedish Meadowlark **

"Oh, Medda? Yeah, I've heard about her!" Braid said, remembering all the times Scrunch had told her how he was destined to marry her.

"Well if you haven't you have been living under a rock, sweetheart!" Mush joked, walking past them and opening the door. They walked into the theatre and Jack lead them backstage.

"Medda?" He called up the stairs.

"Jack? Is that you?" Said a voice that sounded like it could melt butter. The door squeaked open and out stepped the most beautiful woman Braid had ever seen. She wore a gorgeous pink dress with ruffles and a small white fan with pink roses on it. Her red hair was done so perfectly it almost looked like it was a wig.

"Miss. Medda you look beautiful as ever." Jack said, kneeling down and kissing her hand. She smiled.

"Jack Kelly, you must get your sweet talk from your dad. Now, what brings you here?" She asked.

"A few leaders are meeting up to discuss some problems between the boroughs. Plus, we got ourselves a new girl newsie, so I figured you would want to meet her." Jack said, motioning Braid over. Mush took her arm and lead her over beside Jack.

"Medda, meet Braid. Braid, this is Medda." Mush introduced.

"My pleasure. My, you're a pretty girl, aren't you?" Medda smiled.

"Thank you." Braid said, blushing.

"Quiet, aren't you? I'll fix that up in no time! I'm kidding, dear." Medda joked. Braid smiled, looking down at her feet.

"So, would you mind if Mush and Braid stay backstage while I go and talk with the other boys? I swear they won't cause any trouble." Jack asked.

"Hey, speak for yourself! Braid and I had some pranks up our sleeves, didn't we?" Mush laughed, playfully elbowing Braid in the side.

"Maybe." She said. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Behave." He said, then looked back at Medda, who chuckled.

"Of course, Jack. Now, go off to your meeting. I think I can tame these wild beasts."

"I'm not the mastermind, here. If anyone needed tamed it would be Braid!" Mush said, crossing his arms.

"Says the one who won't shut up." Braid said, laughing a little.

"Oh my goodness! The girl talked! Someone get a camera!" Mush exclaimed. Braid stepped on his foot and he yelped, apologizing and shutting up long enough for Jack to leave. Medda sighed and turned to the pair.

"Okay, so why don't you too go grab a seat somewhere. The show is about to begin!" Medda said. Mush nodded and grabbed Braids' hand, leading her to the audience. They found a seat near the front and sat down just as the light dimmed and the spotlight shot onto the stage. Medda swayed on with such elegance that the room erupted with applause before she even said a word. She smiled, and began to sing.

Braid was amazed. The woman had a beautiful voice! Now she could see why Scrunch was so obsessed with her, but she was way out of his league. After about an hour Braid stood up.

"I'm going to try to find a bathroom." She said to Mush, who was to absorbed into the show to notice she was slipping away. She made her way backstage without being noticed and walked down the first hallway she could find. She passed many doors, but couldn't hear any voices. She turned the corner and walked down the stairs. Suddenly, she could make out the faint sound of discussion. She silently inched closer to the sound until she could make out what as being said.

"Wait, so you're keeping a Queens in your borough, Jack? How stupid can you be!" Said a voice Braid didn't recognize.

"What was I supposed to do! Race said she was getting soaked by High-Brow and Scrunch! Besides, she harmless. She barely even talks." Jack said.

"It's true. I talked to her earlier today. She told me that High-Brow and Scrunch didn't want her getting involved with the war, so they didn't tell her anything." Spot said.

"That doesn't prove a thing. Maybe she lied." Said another voice.

"Maybe, but if we learn she did she will wish she was still getting soaked by Queens. We know how to deal with spies and liars in Brooklyn." Spot said.

"Whatever. I want to meet her. She is here, right?"

"Yeah, she is with Mush watching the show." Jack said.

"Go get her." Spot said.

_Dang it!_ Braid thought, taking off running as quietly and as fast as she could. By some miracle she made it back to Mush before Jack.

"Are you okay? Your breathing kind of hard." Mush asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Braid gasped. Jack walked up to the.

"Braid, the leaders want to meet you. Do you mind?" He asked. Braid sighed.

"Do I have a choice?" She asked. Jack laughed and motioned for her to follow him. They went down the hallway and to the room where she heard the voices. Inside she saw Spot sitting next to an empty chair, which must be Jacks. A boy with sandy blonde hair and a big forehead sat across from him.

"That is Robber, leader of the Bronx." Jack said, pointing to him. Robber nodded his head stiffly. Beside him was a boy with dark red hair and a lot of freckles.

"That's Jig. He leads Staten Island." Jack introduced. Jig only stared at her. Jack guided her over to a chair beside him and they sat down. Braid was tense and bit the inside of her lip.

"So, your Braid?" Jig asked. She nodded.

"Your from Queens?" Robber asked. Again, she nodded.

"Then tell us something only someone from Queens would know." Jig said. Braid squinted her eyes.

"But if it's something only Queens knows, then how would any of you know if it's the truth or not?" She asked. Jack laughed.

"She has you there, Jig." He said. Jig muttered something under his breath and slouched down in his seat.

"Your real quiet, aren't you?" Robber observed. Braid shrugged.

"For the most part, I guess." She said.

"Jack, I still don't think I trust her. This is something High-Brow would do, send over someone like her to gather information." Jig said. Jack groaned.

"Jig! I told you! Why would she be spying for Queens if they were the ones who threw her out of the borough?"

"I don't know! Ask her!" Braid straightened up.

"Jig, your being ridiculous. Does she seem like a spy to you?" Spot asked.

"I need proof." Jig said, shaking his head and crossing his arms. Spot rolled his eyes.

"Fine, if it means so much to you then I will assure you she won't be spying anytime soon." Spot said, standing up. He walked over to Braid and stood her up.

"I'm sorry about this." He said. He drew his fist back and sent it flying towards her face, connecting beside her eye. She fell and hit the floor with a _thud. _Spot sent his foot into her stomach and she gasped for the air she had lost.

"There is your damn proof." Spot said, shoving the chair out of the way and storming out of the room. Jack kneeled down beside Braid and helped her up.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Still not having enough air, she nodded. Jack sighed and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Come on, I think we are done here." He nodded to Jig and Robber and helped Braid out of the room.

**Whoo! Okay, when I started this chapter I had no clue where it was going, so then I deleted it and ta-da! This was written! I hope it's too to...**

**Review and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!**

**- Emily**


	7. Familiar

Mush wasn't too happy with Braids' new black eye, but after ranting about how he was going to 'kill that girl-hitting-jerk' the whole walk back to the lodging house he seemed to cool off a bit. It was getting dark, and Braid was glad for that. She didn't really want the other newsies to start bombarding her with questions. As soon as she set foot in the lodging house she walked straight up to her room and closed the door. She could still hear the mummers of the newsies below, and Jack telling everyone about the nights events. Sighing, she walked over to the window and sat down on the ledge.

What was she going to do? She promised Scrunch she would meet with them every night, but she didn't want them to see her with her eye like it was. She new Scrunch and Fly would have a fit and possibly do something stupid.

_I'll just wait until it's not noticeable. I'll tell them nothing new has happened. _She thought to herself. That idea seemed to satisfy her, so she relaxed a bit.

"Hey, Braid?" Said a voice at the door. It was Mush.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Can I come in?" He asked. She mentally slapped herself.

"Um, okay." She opened the door and he and Race entered the room.

"So, Conlon really knows how to make a first impression...and second." Race joked, sitting down on the bed.

"Shut up, Race," Mush said, then turning to Braid he asked, "Are you okay?" She nodded.

"I guess. It's amazing Spot is single, you know?" This rose a small laugh from the boys.

"Anyway, we wanted to know if you wanted to sell with us tomorrow?" Mush asked. Braid agreed, and the boys left.

* * *

Braid woke up the next morning and looked in the mirror. The swelling in her eye had gone down, but the black was still noticeable. She threw on her clothes for selling and pulled her hair, which was laid in a mess over her shoulders, into a braid. She stepped into the hall and met up with Race and Mush.

"You ready?" Mush asked. Braid nodded.

"Then let's go cheat people out of their money!" Race said, practically bouncing out the door.

"Well, that's one way to describe our job." Braid said, quiet enough so only Mush heard. He let out a deep laugh.

"You know, you're pretty funny. You should talk more often." He said. The image of flames burned in her mind and her face fell. She looked down and shrugged.

"Are you okay?" Mush asked, noticing her change in attitude. She nodded.

"Y-yeah. Fine." She said, stepping to get in line. Mush fell in line behind her, not saying a word. Luckily, the line moved quickly. She bought twenty papers and the trio started walking toward the crowd of people getting ready to start the day. Braid noticed an older couple and smiled. Oh yes, this would be perfect. She let her face fall and walked over with her head down.

"E-excuse me?" She asked, not raising her head.

"Yes?" The man said. His voice seemed harsh, and it was no doubt they were part of the richer area of New York.

"I-I was wondering if you would buy me pape?" She asked.

"Look at your elders when you are speaking to them!" The woman scoffed.

"Sorry, miss." Braid said, then raised her head up so that her black eye was noticeable. The couple gasped.

"Good heavens, child! You dare ask us to buy your paper when you get into fights in your spare time!" The man exclaimed. Braid flinched back slightly, adding to the drama.

"N-no, sir! I-I don't fight, sir!"

"Then how did you get your eye, my dear?"

_Why are rich people so nosy? _Braid thought.

"People aren't very kind to poor girls who don't have a nickel to their name." She whispered. The woman's face became soft as she reached for her purse. She pulled out a nickel.

"Here. Now you have a nickel and one less paper to sell. You take care, dear." Braid handed them a paper and thanked them. The couple walked off and she let out a laugh. She walked over to Mush and Race who were frozen in place with shocked faces.

"Braid! You just sold to some of the richest people in the city!" Mush exclaimed.

"I've been trying to sell them papers for weeks now! They never buy them!" Race said. Braid smiled.

"Remind me to thank Spot for the eye job. It works wonders on hoity-toity old people." She said, turning around to sell more papers.

They finished selling their papers around noon. Due to the black eye, selling was fairly easy for Braid. She even finished before Race!

"So, Braid, have you ever been to Tibby's before?" Mush asked. She shook her head no.

"What! Come on, your life begins now!" Race said, grabbing her hand and dragging her to a small diner. A bell dinged when Race opened the door and Braid saw that most of the newsies were already there. A few people said hello or waved to them, but most kept there focus on their food.

Classic newsboys.

"This is where most of us hang out after selling the morning edition." Mush explained. Jack saw them and motioned them over to sit. He slid over so that Braid sat next to him, and Mush, Race, and Spot were on the other side.

"So, how was selling?" Jack asked.

"You should have seen her! You know the hoity-toity couple I told you about? The ones who refuse to buy papers? They gave her a nickel in exchange for a pape!" Race said, talking with his hands.

"Really?" Jack asked, looking down at her. Braid blushed and looked down, a smile creeping on her face.

"Anyway, the girl has a way with words," Mush started.

"Braid? The girl who I never hear speak more than a few words at a time?" Spot asked out of the blue. The diner seemed to grow quieter.

"Hey, you should have seen it. She may not say much-"

"Mush," Jack said, cutting him off. He glanced over at Spot, trying to read his emotions. His face was relaxed, but his eyes were studying with curiosity. Suddenly, he stood up.

"Braid, can I talk to you outside." Spot asked, sliding past Race and Mush. Braid stood up and followed him out of the diner. He turned down the road stopped by the corner. Braid stood beside him.

"So,' Spot asked, turning to look at her. "Braid, I'm just going to come out and say this. You are beginning to seem very familiar to me."

_Dang it, _She thought. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I've heard your name, of course, but I don't believe we have met." She said. Spot took off his cap and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know. I can see an image in my mind. I'm standing on the road with a girl. It's blurry, but I swear it's you. You honestly don't remember meeting me?" He asked. She shook her head.

"This is going to drive me crazy." He muttered to himself. Braid looked up at him and he shook his head.

"I'm heading back inside. Are you coming?" He asked. Braid thought for a moment.

"Um, no. I think I need some time to think." She said. Spot nodded and turned on his heals to head back inside.

_Spot Conlon..._ She thought. Now that he mentioned it, he seemed familiar as well.

**Eh, I hope that wasn't to bad. Tell me what you think! **

**Thanks! Review please!**

**- Emily**


	8. I Miss The Mountains

**I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! Basketball just let out and I've been pounded with homework, and I still have DI and soccer...ugh, busy, busy, busy. **

**Anyway, here it is! Chapter eight! I hope you like it:)**

**Review and Read On!**

**- Emily**

* * *

Braid strolled down the streets of Manhattan deep in thought. Now that he had brought it up, Spot seemed very familiar. It was just like he said, she could see herself with someone in the middle of a street, but the face was blurry to her also. It was driving her mad, not knowing for certain whether the figure was Spot or not. Uncertainty was one of her biggest pet peeves.

She found herself outside of Medda's theatre.

_Well, maybe I can hang around in here for a bit. _She thought. After her encounter with Medda, she seemed like a nice person. She definitely knew how to welcome up a room. Braid walked up the steps and opened the front door, slipping inside. The door closed with a thud as Braid made her way deeper into the theatre. The theatre seemed to be vacant. The quiet of the room made Braid feel at peace, as if all the worries that had filled her had suddenly disappeared. She sat down in one of the seats in the back and closed her eyes. She let the silence overcome her until she was she felt she could fly. She imagined the pale blue color of the afternoon skied, and the fluffy white clouds that would engulf her as she soared above all the people of the big city.

"Hello? Who's there?" A voice called out, shaking Braid out of her thoughts. She shot to her feet, turned to see Medda standing in, shockingly, simple attire- a plain blue skirt and a white blouse.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry Miss. Medda. I know I shouldn't be here." Braid said. Medda chuckled.

"No, it's okay. Your welcome here any time. Those boys finally drive you crazy?" She asked, walking over and sitting in the seat next to Braids. Braid sat back down.

"I guess. Do they ever quiet down?" She asked. Medda smiled.

"Nope. They're newsboys, always rowdy. However, I don't think that's why you came here. So, tell me. What's on your mind?" Medda asked. Braid shifted in her seat.

"It's no big deal." She said. Medda laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, if your thinking about it, then it must be at least some what important." Braid bit her bottom lip, then sighed.

"Okay, it's Spot."

"Always is, isn't it?" Medda mumbled, making Braid giggle.

"Probably, he is just so demanding! Not just that, but I feel like I know him from somewhere. I can see a picture in my mind, but the face is blurry. He says he knows me from somewhere, but neither of us can remember." Medda nodded.

"Well, maybe you do know him from somewhere. Maybe you were just to little to remember clearly." Braid thought about this.

"Or maybe, your brain is just tricking you. Maybe Spot thinks he remembers knowing you, and sine he told you that your mind was tricked into thinking that about him." Braid let that sink in and nodded slowly.

"It makes sense. Thanks, Medda." She said. Medda stood up and smiled.

"Of course. I'm always here if you need to talk. I wouldn't want to leave you at the mercy of those boys all the time. Now, while your here, why don't I show you a new song I've been working on?" She offered her hand to Braid, who took it and stood up.

"Okay." Medda led her down the aisle to the steps and took her onto the stage. It was beautiful standing center stage and looking out into where the audience would be. The lights flickered onto the stage and Medda walked over and set her hands on Braid's shoulders.

"It's amazing, isn't it? Think about it, I get to see this almost every night. It never gets old." Medda walked over to the shiny piano and sat down. Braid stood and leaned on the side of the piano. Medda began to play and opened her mouth to sing,

_"There was a time when I flew higher,  
Was a time the wild girl running free  
Would be me.  
Now I see her feel the fire,  
Now I know she needs me  
There to share  
I'm nowhere._

All these blank and tranquil years  
Seems they've dried up all my tears.  
And while she runs free and fast,  
Seems my wild days are past.

But I miss the mountains.  
I miss the dizzy heights.  
All the manic, magic days,  
And the dark, depressing nights.

I miss the mountains,  
I miss the highs and lows,  
All the climbing, all the falling,  
All the while the wild wind blows,  
Stinging you with snow  
And soaking you with rain  
I miss the mountains,  
I miss the pain.

Mountains make you crazy  
Here it's safe and sound.  
My mind is somewhere hazy  
My feet are on the ground.

Everything is balanced here  
And on an even keel.  
Everything is perfect  
Nothing's real...  
Nothing's real.

And I miss the mountains.  
I, I miss the lonely climb.  
Wand'ring through the wilderness.  
And spending all my time  
Where the air is clear  
And cuts you like a knife  
I miss the mountains...  
I miss the mountains...  
I miss my life.  
I miss my life."

**(I Miss The Mountains -Next to Normal. Look it up, it really is a beautiful song)**

Medda sang the last note and Braid listened as it faded into the theatre. Medda looked up at her smiling with tears in her eyes.

"This song gets me every time." Medda said, wiping her eyes dry.

"It is really beautiful." Braid said. Medda smiled.

"I'm glad you think so. Now, you should probably get going. Jack is probably getting worried." Braid looked out of the window to her right, and was surprised to see that the sun had already set. Had she really been here that long.

"Oh! I didn't even notice what time it was! Thank you, Medda. For letting me talk and for playing the song." Medda stood up and gave Braid a hug.

"Any time. You just drop by here any time you want, understand?" Braid smiled and nodded. She turned around and walked up to the door. Just as she was about to open it she paused.

"Medda? Do you think you could teach me that song?" She asked.

"Really? The shy girl who came here last night wants me to teach her how to sing?" Medda said. Braid nodded.

"Of course. Why don't you come over tomorrow night after the show?" Medda said. Braid smiled brightly.

"Thank you so much, Medda!" She said, opening the door.

"You know, music is a great way to express how you feel. It has it's own way of communication." Medda said. Braid thought about that.

"I like that. That should be a motto." Braid opened the door wider and stepped out in to the cool night.

**That's it! I hope you guys liked it:) So, what do you think of Braid? Is she coming more out of her shell?**

**Thanks guys! Review, please:)**

**- Emily**


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